A series of bis- and tris-(.mu.-oxo)-dimanganese complex salts have already been described, for example in WO 93/25562; Inorg. Chem. 1989, 28, p. 3606-3608; J. Chem. Soc. Chem. Comm. 1995, p. 949-950; Inorg. Chem. 1994, 33, 4105-4111 and Nature, Vol. 369, p. 637-639. Manganese complex salts of this type are also described in EP-A-0 458 397; EP-A-0 458 398 and EP-A-0 544 519. These manganese complex salts can serve as catalysts for oxidative bleaches. These manganese complex salts contain a ligand of the triazacyclononane type. This ligand and accordingly the prior manganese complex salts can only be prepared in a multistage process and are thus difficult and costly to obtain and use.
It would be a significant advance over the state of the art if new manganese salts, useful as catalysts, are provided, having more readily available ligands such that the salts are less difficult and costly to obtain and use and thus provide advantages, such as industrial advantages, over the prior manganese complex salts.